How To Catch A Gecko?

[Wes Turner]

Hi I want to catch a gecko and I saw a thai man once catch one of those small common lizards that many foreigners call geckos but are not by using an elastic band.

I dont want to hurt the little guy, i just want to keep it in a box for a few days and scare the wife!!! Seriously i do want to prove a point that they are harmless and dont bite people.

Has anybody tried to catch one before and what method was used?

[Soph]

I accidentally caught one in my freezer once. The silly thing must have sneaked in without me looking and that was the end of the road for him.

Found him the next day frozen solid. Interesting to have a good look at him up close though.

[raro]

I dont want to hurt the little guy, i just want to keep it in a box for a few days and scare the wife!!!

...what a terrific idea... Hope Mrs. raro isn't reading....

[zzap]

The small ones are harmless, but you occasionally get some big nasty ones hiding where you don't suspect.

Those do bite!

[tavarich]

I have a couple of them that reside in the kitchen. Since they moved in I don't see to many of those crawly type bugs. So they are welcome guests.

[katana]

If you try to catch a gecko, it may well shed its tail - something to be aware of.

[N&M]

Just chase the bugger and cup your hands over it, they dont bite.

If that is to scary for you, go to JatuJuk market, by some crickets and put them in a big big plastic shopping bag. Hang the bag up where the geckos hang out and go check it the next morning. Bet there will be one in there and often the plastic is to slippery to get out, oh and he will be fat also.

[Lars]

Our cat is good at catching jing johks, maybe you could borrow him? But then again, he usually kills them, finally...

Edit: by the way; he's also very good at catching and killing big cockroaches.

Edited February 17, 2006 by Lars

[Pink Mist]

they are great for the insects but the mess they leave on the floor hardly makes up for it.

[Wes Turner]

I dont wanna squish him with my hand if i try and make a quick grab, that happened before with a small lizard. How about the elastic band idea, i want to stun and knock him off the wall but not hurt him.

[N&M]

lol, so you assume stunning him will not hurt him ?

[Wes Turner]

yes a bit but i want the pain to go away after a mminute or so a bit like a spanking when the pain subsides after afew minutes. Problem with maple syryp is it attracts ants.

[Wes Turner]

screw the gecko i give up

[Phil Conners]

I've seen kids upcountry catch the slightly larger kinda, long-tailed of geckos using a piece of fishline with a small loop on a stick. They sneak the loop over the head of the gecko and with a small snap of the wrist they catch it.

[britmaveric]

I always thought fried geckos were delicious!!! Anyone else have an affinity to eating the lil fellas??

[chonabot]

I have bred geckoes in the Uk and have caught a fair few in the Wilds of Los and Malaysia.

Here is a way to catch 'em.

Geckoes will look at your eyes to see if you are looking at them. Get near to the critter , within arm's reach. Memorise where the gecko is. Look away and grab at the spot where the gecko is.

If possible use the corner of your eye to locate it , whilst your head is turned away.

Instead of a firm hard grip try and cover the body without too much pressure.

Try not to grab the tail, for obvious reasons.

Softly but firmly encompass the gecko with your hand , then place it into a soft bag if possible.

My wife is scared shitless of Jing-Jock and she will tesify to my prowess in catching 'em..

The main thing is the eye contact , I shit you not.

Edited February 21, 2006 by chonabot

[englishoak]

Done it quite a lot myself, the eye contact does it everytime. Just move close enough very slowly while looking at him. Do as chonabot suggests and bingo.

Then you can chase the wife around before putting him outside.

Another trick is to mimic the large variety (took ey) sounds when in bed and next to the wifes head. Funniest thing to see her leap out out of bed like a scolded cat

Pretend to be asleep or she may catch on thereby spoiling endless nights of fun.

[BambinA]

fear factor?

[englishoak]

[Moonhunteruk]

Well from a fun point of view i brought my son one of those toys guns with the small plastic pellet magnums, when the wife is watching those stupid thai movies i like to sit back with a chang and my gun shootong the little buggers.

:ph34:

[jdinasia]

salt on the tail .... no wait that's a bird ... or was it a snipe?

OK ... so really ... why do you want to catch one?

[h90]

I am simply quick enough to catch them, but almost all loose their tail so I stoped that fun.

if you can cool it down they also loose speed, the fridge works for sure, I don't know if a strong aircon can slow down the gecko enough so that normal people can catch it

hint: Thai wife complains from 25-23 degree celcius, but lower than 20 degree also your thai wife stops complaining, because the mouth freeze. But be aware the LD50 is at 15 degree, there half of the population of Thai women die.....

(maybe off topic, but if married with a half chinese (a few degree more resistance) southern, with turbo-mouth, a drop in room temperature might be your last help before your ears get permanent damaged)

I have bred geckoes in the Uk and have caught a fair few in the Wilds of Los and Malaysia.

Here is a way to catch 'em.

Geckoes will look at your eyes to see if you are looking at them. Get near to the critter , within arm's reach. Memorise where the gecko is. Look away and grab at the spot where the gecko is.

If possible use the corner of your eye to locate it , whilst your head is turned away.

Instead of a firm hard grip try and cover the body without too much pressure.

Try not to grab the tail, for obvious reasons.

Softly but firmly encompass the gecko with your hand , then place it into a soft bag if possible.

My wife is scared shitless of Jing-Jock and she will tesify to my prowess in catching 'em..

The main thing is the eye contact , I shit you not.

[phibunmike]

Hi I want to catch a gecko and I saw a thai man once catch one of those small common lizards that many foreigners call geckos but are not by using an elastic band.

I dont want to hurt the little guy, i just want to keep it in a box for a few days and scare the wife!!! Seriously i do want to prove a point that they are harmless and dont bite people.

Has anybody tried to catch one before and what method was used?

If you mean chit-chats, they are a type of gecko (jusy not a big one like the tokay gecko). And as someone else said, they will probably shed their tail, so best to leave the little buggers alone.

You could always try opening up a light fitting, removing their eggs, and wait for a baby to hatch in your hand

[siamesekitty]

I've caught a couple with my bare hands before, easier to do in households that usually leave them alone because they're not used being chased away or caught. (In non-jingjok-friendly homes, the little dudes are wary of humans and run FAST!)

[britmaveric]

I've caught a couple with my bare hands before, easier to do in households that usually leave them alone because they're not used being chased away or caught. (In non-jingjok-friendly homes, the little dudes are wary of humans and run FAST!)

Weary because they know they are food if caught!

[kurgen]

when i first moved into my new house i used to spend hours catching the little #######.

After a while I gave up.

They were there before my house was built so it wasn't their fault.

In England I had a pair of leopard geckos.

I just think of the ones in the house as free range pets

[Tywais]

I just think of the ones in the house as free range pets

Same here, just consider them care free pets.

The only time I've caught one is when they are still very young and can't travel that fast. Put one hand on the floor in front of them and use the 2nd hand behind it to herd it in.

[swat]

Try a few time wen i was drunk,without result.Leave this to my cat,with 80% result.

Now they are protected species at my home.Sometimes still find a little head somewhere around.

My nasty pussycat never learn.